- Joined
- Sep 25, 2002
- Messages
- 3,179
either size of "pickle fork" (ball joint & tie rod seperators) would make a fair last ditch weapon as well as a first rate entry/rescue tool. These things are TOUGH.
Frank
Frank
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Improvised weapons just as good?
- Thread starter T. Erdelyi
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2004
- Messages
- 174
I am quite surprised that no one has mentioned a baseball bat or a chain, as they are both very common items.
One would require very little imagination to use a bat as an "improvised" weapon. Any attacker (knife-wielding or otherwise) would undoubtedly think twice about assaulting someone who is in possession of a baseball bat (unless, of course, the attacker also has a bat). Since the sole purpose of a baseball bat is to strike things (such as baseballs), and since the human head is roughly globular in shape (like a rather large baseball), the baseball bat is the perfect "improvised" bludgeoning weapon. They (the bats) are quite readily available, relatively inexpensive, are specifically designed to comfortably fit in the human hand, and come in a variety of colors, styles, and materials (I suggest one made of wood, as it produces a satisfying crack upon impact with a hard surface; aluminum bats tend to make an awful "pinging" sound). And, best of all, the baseball bat is legal to carry almost everywhere in America.
As for chains, these require slightly more imagination to be used as an improvised weapon, but are (depending on length, size, and weight) just about as effective as a bat. One would most likely swing a chain at an attacker, hoping to hit a vital area, and (depending on their skill with the chain) might possibly disarm the assailant in the process. A chain can be used to entangle an attacker if it can be wrapped around his arms or legs. A chain could also be used as a garrote. One particular advantage of using a chain is that it, as a whole, has no specific shape, and can therefore be stored in a variety of places (in a glove compartment, tool box, car trunk, coat pocket, or perhaps dangling from some idiot's baggy black pants). As with bats, chains are relatively inexpensive, widely available, come in a great variety of lengths, sizes, colors, materials, and designs. For the most part, it is legal to possess a chain almost everywhere.
In a fight, I would personally prefer a chain (or possibly a bat) as an "improvised" weapon, rather than a knife (although, if I possesed a horseshoe crab, I would use it simply for the novelty of doing so). The reach of a bat or chain is greater than that of a knife, and a strong person can do a great deal of damage with either one. The simple, brutal efficiency of a chain or bat should not be overlooked. Even so, one must never forget to carry a good knife.
(As a side note, I would like to pose a question about the legality of possessing a horseshoe crab for use as a defensive weapon. Is there any licensing or paperwork required? Must the crab be holstered and concealed, or carried in the open? Is there special training involved?
)
TheSurvivalist
One would require very little imagination to use a bat as an "improvised" weapon. Any attacker (knife-wielding or otherwise) would undoubtedly think twice about assaulting someone who is in possession of a baseball bat (unless, of course, the attacker also has a bat). Since the sole purpose of a baseball bat is to strike things (such as baseballs), and since the human head is roughly globular in shape (like a rather large baseball), the baseball bat is the perfect "improvised" bludgeoning weapon. They (the bats) are quite readily available, relatively inexpensive, are specifically designed to comfortably fit in the human hand, and come in a variety of colors, styles, and materials (I suggest one made of wood, as it produces a satisfying crack upon impact with a hard surface; aluminum bats tend to make an awful "pinging" sound). And, best of all, the baseball bat is legal to carry almost everywhere in America.
As for chains, these require slightly more imagination to be used as an improvised weapon, but are (depending on length, size, and weight) just about as effective as a bat. One would most likely swing a chain at an attacker, hoping to hit a vital area, and (depending on their skill with the chain) might possibly disarm the assailant in the process. A chain can be used to entangle an attacker if it can be wrapped around his arms or legs. A chain could also be used as a garrote. One particular advantage of using a chain is that it, as a whole, has no specific shape, and can therefore be stored in a variety of places (in a glove compartment, tool box, car trunk, coat pocket, or perhaps dangling from some idiot's baggy black pants). As with bats, chains are relatively inexpensive, widely available, come in a great variety of lengths, sizes, colors, materials, and designs. For the most part, it is legal to possess a chain almost everywhere.
In a fight, I would personally prefer a chain (or possibly a bat) as an "improvised" weapon, rather than a knife (although, if I possesed a horseshoe crab, I would use it simply for the novelty of doing so). The reach of a bat or chain is greater than that of a knife, and a strong person can do a great deal of damage with either one. The simple, brutal efficiency of a chain or bat should not be overlooked. Even so, one must never forget to carry a good knife.
(As a side note, I would like to pose a question about the legality of possessing a horseshoe crab for use as a defensive weapon. Is there any licensing or paperwork required? Must the crab be holstered and concealed, or carried in the open? Is there special training involved?
)TheSurvivalist
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2005
- Messages
- 4,761
Well, outside of my knife, three easy weapons are as follows:
The Umbrella
The belt
And lastly, car antennas, particularly the rubber coated ones.
All are excellent.
My personal favorite is the umbrella. You can finally use all that kenjutsu you studied as a kid.
The Umbrella
The belt
And lastly, car antennas, particularly the rubber coated ones.
All are excellent.
My personal favorite is the umbrella. You can finally use all that kenjutsu you studied as a kid.
tyr_shadowblade
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2006
- Messages
- 12,683
TheSurvivalist said:
Wooden baseball bats are lousy weapons. Too heavy, too easy to overextend yourself if you miss, and if you get rushed it's of very limited use at grappling range. Aluminum bats are slightly better, but still too long for either close range or indoor use. An aluminum Tee-Ball bat, however, is an exceptional close range weapon (and it has a shock absorbing rubberized grip).
As for chains, not so great unless you're willing to spend numerous hours practicing. Bikers and skinheads used to like 3 ft lengths of heavy chain for streetfighting, but you can hardly carry something like THAT around with you -- it's too damn heavy, and you'll clank like the first ghost to visit Ebeneezer Scrooge! In the movie Dragon, loosely based upon the life of Bruce Lee, there's a scene where he pulls a 3 ft length of very thin chain -- attached to a handle -- out of his britches and kicks a$$. Unfortunately, none of the martial art supply stores sell anything remotely resembling this fine weapon, so you'll haveta make it yourself.
I made one by purchasing a pair of 8" Speedchucks and clipping off the chain; then I sawed the 8" rod in half and sanded it down before adding a 3 ft length of zinc plated #2 single link chain (purchased a 20 ft length from the hardware store for about $17). This fits nicely in either the back pocket of my jeans or the inside pocket of my jacket, it's light, it doesn't rattle much, I can deploy it in about a second, and it works better than a spring baton or a car antennae. Plus, since it has no weight at the end it is not a prohibited "fighting chain" or "nunchaku."
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- Oct 5, 1998
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You do not need weapons, if you cannot be seen.
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2005
- Messages
- 322
mete said:
Interesting!
Here's more about the Horseshoe Crab:
"This animal's blood contains a unique clotting agent that the pharmaceutical industry uses to test intravenous drugs for bacteria. No IV drug reaches your hospital pharmacy without its horseshoe crab test. So if you or someone you love has ever been hospitalized, you owe a lot to the horseshoe crab."
"When a solution made from the crab's amebocytessimilar to human white blood cellsis combined with a small sample of a batch of drugs, the mixture immediately clots if the drugs contain certain impurities ... The best minds in medical research have tried to create manmade substitutes, but nothing comes close. And while it can't be comfortable for the crabs to be caught, transported to a special laboratory, and bled for five minutes, at least they are then returned safely to their home waters within 48 hours of their capture."
from here: http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/factsheets/horseshoe_crab.html